This blog post mentioned the OTA Archive and discussed some ideas about how to communicate science to Congress. Referred to several OTA reports on issues that are still being debated: a 1990 report, Replacing Gasoline: Alternative Fuels for Light Duty Vehicles and Preparing for an Uncertain ClimateVolume I and Volume II published in 1993.

A blog entry credited OTA for their worldwide leadership in technology assessments in the health care field in the 1970’s, providing politicians with an evaluation of not only the medical technologies and procedures but also the organizational structures in which medical services are provided. European countries (Sweden, the Netherlands, France, and Britain) later developed similar programs in the 1980’s.

A blog post about the failure of the Congress to reinstate OTA says, “While the OTA may have died on the altar of partisan ideology in 1995, its revival today seems to be inhibited by a bipartisan failure to understand why it’s needed.”

It has been thirteen years since the closing of OTA, which was officially closed on September 29, 1995. Unoffficially, a few people stayed on to finish up some projects and a few people stayed officially for two more month to clear up the rubble. (I guess that is the answer to your trivia question, Mike.)

The amazing thing is that, thirteen years later, OTA is mentioned in the press almost every day. It shows that former Congressman Amo Houghton (R-New York) was right when he said, “Those of us who have used OTA reports know that most of them have long shelf lives. The really important issues–the issues OTA worked on–do not get solved and go away in one Congress.” from In Memoriam: The Office of Technology Assessment, 1972-95